I liked that song as a kid, and had no clue what it was about.
To be clear:
It’s about an American chess-player sneering at the disgusting, dirty culture of Thailand. The play it’s from is about an American chess player who uses a Russian opponent’s longing for freedom and attraction towards his own assistant to psyche him out to win a chess game. The Russian gets the girl and gets his freedom, but the American gets what he wanted: the championship.
The part that almost makes me weep is how well I can identify with the Russian’s mournful “Anthem” for his country:
No man, no madness, though their sad power may prevail
can possess, conquer, my country’s heart; They rise to fail
She is eternal, long before nations’ lines were drawn,
when no flags flew and no armies stood, my land was born
And you ask me why I love her through wars, death and despair
She is the constant; we who don’t care
And you wonder will I leave her — but how?
I cross over borders but I’m still there now
How can I leave her? Where would I start?
Let man’s petty nations tear themselves apart
My land’s only borders lie around my heart
(Don’t mistake the meaning of this song either: he sings it as he escapes into the American consulate, where there’s a real zinger against the un-American careerists we would now call Deep State at the consulate):
Oh my dear how boring! He’s defecting!
Just like all the others, he’s expecting
Us to be impressed with what he’s done here
But he hasn’t stopped to think about the paperwork his gesture causes
We’ve an embassy to run here! If these people can’t strike blows for freedom
with a valid visa, we don’t need ‘em
If we seem offhand then please remember
This is nothing very special he’s the fourth we’ve had since last November
Who do these foreign chappies think they are?
And when he’s safely in the West, he’ll be the hero to discuss
The media will lionise him, fame and fortune plus
No-one will recall it’s thanks to us.
Have you an appointment with the consul?
If you don’t we know what his response’ll
be, he will not see you, with respect it
Buggers up his very taxing schedule Pushing peace and understanding; Let us hope this won’t affect it
Far too many jokers Cross the border
Not a single document in order
Russia must be empty Though we’re all for
Basic human rights it makes you wonder. What they built the Berlin wall for
Who do these foreign chappies think they are?
And when you’ve filled in all the forms and been passed clear of all disease
Debriefed debugged dedrugged disarmed and disinfected please
Don’t forget the guys who cut your keys!